Sun City now a foodie paradise

24 January 2016 - 12:42
By Sibongile Mashaba
Close-up of a fork on a dining table Photo Credit: Thinkstock
Close-up of a fork on a dining table Photo Credit: Thinkstock

HUGH MASEKELA, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston are some of the many celebs who have dazzled the Sun City resort with performances .

To celebrate their lives, as well as those of Bryan Adams, The Eagles, Quincy Jones and sportsman Ernie Els, the resort in North West has launched an extravagant restaurant called Legends.

The upmarket 150-seater grill house is situated at the Sun City Hotel.

The decor is simple yet elegant. The couches and chairs are made of fabric which bears the names of these stars. Star monograms also adorn the floor of the eatery, while framed pictures of some of them add a personal touch. Each picture is a reminder of a song or two by these legends.

Raul de Lima, group executive: food and beverage at Sun International, says: "We wanted a place to remember the razzle dazzle of yesteryear, to take a trip down memory lane.

"It's a large speciality grill house in which we showcase the artists and sports people who came through these hallowed halls."

Other stars to have visited include Sting, Tom Jones, George Benson, Tina Turner, Queen, Dolly Parton, Cher and Shirley Bassey.

The restaurant's menu has a variety of food and drinks. During the launch, we were treated to a three- course meal.

For starters I tried the mouth-watering Death by Banting - crispy trimmings of beef rump in a rich banting-friendly barbecue sauce with sweet potato mash.

Though served in a tiny pot, this dish is quite filling.

For mains, I had lamb loin chops, rubbed with dukkah spice on chimichurri mash.

I could not finish the dish because the chops were too underdone for my taste.

The resort itself is now undergoing a dramatic R800-million rejuvenation and more restaurants have been opened.

Bocado is one of them. Surrounded by blue pools, this eatery is heavenly.

Timeless Mediterranean favourites on the menu include spicy trinchado, kleftiko lamb shank, moussaka and Mediterranean-style lamb chops.

True to the spirit of the Mediterranean, there is an extensive selection of fish and seafood dishes, from traditional sardines and seared salmon with crusted herbs to paella and prawns.

The food was amazing.

Another great restaurant that was launched was The Brew Monkey.

It is situated in the Valley of Waves, right near the beach, and offers a beautiful view of the water and is cooled by a refreshing breeze. Here you will find burgers, fish and chips, wings and, of course, an assortment of beers.

Just below the restaurant is fast food outlet Food Factory. Here you can buy bunny chows and falafels. They also have battered fish.

"The Brew Monkey takes beachside refreshment up a notch at the Valley of Waves. It is a place to kick back and relax while indulging in exciting craft beers and gastronomical burgers and gourmet sandwiches.

"Guests can also share tasty nibbles from tins instead of the usual pub type baskets," says Bruce McKay, general manager: food and beverage operations at Sun City.

There's a bit of everything for everyone, which makes for a great outing with the family.